A lion spent a night in a jail cell after it escaped a wildlife park by crawling underneath the park's electric fence

A lion reportedly escaped from a national park after it managed to crawl underneath the park's electric fence.

The lion was recaptured when four sheep and two goats were killed on a farm in the vicinity.

The lion was tranquilized and spent the night in a South African jail cell until authorities could send him back to his home.

A police officer took advantage of the lion's tranquilized state to take a selfie.

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A lion that escaped a wildlife park and was captured weeks later spent the night in a South African jail cell, until authorities could send him back to the place he's meant to call home.

Photos taken on Wednesday show the darted lion sprawled out in the cell, surrounded by onlookers. One police officer took advantage of the lion's tranquilized state to take a selfie.

AP

The lion had escaped from the Karoo National Park, 40 kilometers (25 miles) far from the area close to Sutherland where he was found.

South Africa's parks service tweeted that the lion had to wait in the cell until a crate arrived for his transport back to the park.